Process - Iterative Design

Through iterative design, we first brainstormed ideas for a design. Then we implemented this ideas in a working prototype. With the prototype, users evaulated the interface for ease of use and usability. The feedback of these tests are incorporated into the next design. We followed the iterative cycle to develop a robust and usable prototype.

Using this particular method, we went through several iterations to quickly improve our prototype with time. With small, short iterations with extensive user testing, small problems in the design can be eliminated early on.

User Testing

We tested the prototypes with students at Rosedale Technical Institute (automative maintenance school) and Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (aircraft maintenance school). Although we were given a scenario from the Navy to work with, we developed our own scenarios to test analogous populations in Pittsburgh.

To quickly test user interaction and new interface features, we tested with students at both Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh. In one case, we used an electronic sensor lab with instructions to test. Users needed to either build a circuit or troubleshoot the circuit from the instructions. This particular case targeted the testing of reading the text as well as speech interaction. In another case, we created a scavenger hunt throughout the computer science building to test hands-busy and eyes-busy situation since the users will be on the move. We developed these two scenarios to simulate the scenarios that would actually happen in the Navy.

At Rosedale Technical Institutes and Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, we tested people who would have similar background to our target users in the Navy. In particular, the users have a technical background and went to the Navy directly from high school. Here, we validated our findings from tests at local universities.

Feature Evolution

Voice Control Evolution

The voice user interface first started from a simplistic set of commands to navigate the text using speech. As we tested the user interface with more and more users, we added more functionality. In particular, user control and feedback in the interface were significant results we observed during the tests. This was the dominant influence on the evolution of the control of the voice user interface.

Voice Control Evolution Walkthrough

Diagram Control Evolution

Initially, we made several informed design decisions based on our contextual inquiries within Pittsburgh and task analysis videos from Norfolk naval base. Once we found out major user needs with respect to the diagrams in the bulky manuals, we introduced zooming in and out with the tablet PC's stylus, panning right, left, up, and down, easy switching between diagrams via a thumbnail bar to the right, further zooming into quadrants for quicker access, showing clickable areas in the diagrams that would afford for further drill down, visual cues to let users know maximum zooming and panning, full screen capability to view larger diagrams, and finally the ability to signal trace. All of these feature changes and design decisions were based on contextual information as well as informed user studies data.

Diagram Control Evolution Walkthrough